Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?


--
Joe

Joe S wrote:
Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?



Depends on how you finish off joins. Most often the finish (baseboards)
go on the wall, so you finish the floor first. Your floor could/should
probably extend beyond wall, with travertine down to it, then - caulk
joints?

Joe S wrote:
Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?




Joe S,

Walls first, then floors.

G Henslee wrote:
Joe S wrote:

Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?




Joe S,

Walls first, then floors.

Oh you asked why it's preferred. It's just simpler. The main reason is
you don't have to protect the finished floors from damage or mess while
tiling the walls. Most folks wait until all other work is done prior to
installing finished floors.

G Henslee wrote:
G Henslee wrote:

Joe S wrote:

Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?




Joe S,

Walls first, then floors.


Oh you asked why it's preferred. It's just simpler. The main reason is
you don't have to protect the finished floors from damage or mess while
tiling the walls. Most folks wait until all other work is done prior to
installing finished floors.



Thanks. Protecting the slate by not laying it is alot easier.

I was most concerned about whether the grout joint is preferred to be
horizontal or vertical. Or should I really use a sanded caulk for this
joint to eliminate cracking from movement? I don't mind patching grout
if it *might* happen, but I don't want to be assured of having to patch
it because it *will* break.

--
Joe

Joe S wrote:
G Henslee wrote:

G Henslee wrote:

Joe S wrote:

Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?




Joe S,

Walls first, then floors.



Oh you asked why it's preferred. It's just simpler. The main reason
is you don't have to protect the finished floors from damage or mess
while tiling the walls. Most folks wait until all other work is done
prior to installing finished floors.



Thanks. Protecting the slate by not laying it is alot easier.

I was most concerned about whether the grout joint is preferred to be
horizontal or vertical. Or should I really use a sanded caulk for this
joint to eliminate cracking from movement? I don't mind patching grout
if it *might* happen, but I don't want to be assured of having to patch
it because it *will* break.


No problem.

Finish the walls first, leaving the travertine off of the floor about an
1/8" or so on the first row. You can lay tile spacers flat and set your
first row on top of that. It's important to adjust and ensure the first
row of wall tile is level. You can use shims, other spacers, or what
works well are cheap tile wedges which are available at tile stores.
They come in handy as you go up the wall for minor adjustments as well.

When you install the floor slate leave a grout joint between the slate
and the wall tile keeping the size uniform woth the other floor joints.
Sanded caulk is really not necessary unless you expect movement of
some kind at that point, so I would just use the sanded grout. YMMV

One other thing, there are thinset products on the market that are made
for heavier tile. keep that in mind and also there are special grouts
made for wider than average joints too.

Sounds like a great choice of materials you've picked for your job.
Good luck Joe!

G Henslee wrote:
Joe S wrote:

G Henslee wrote:

G Henslee wrote:

Joe S wrote:

Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?




Joe S,

Walls first, then floors.




Oh you asked why it's preferred. It's just simpler. The main reason
is you don't have to protect the finished floors from damage or mess
while tiling the walls. Most folks wait until all other work is done
prior to installing finished floors.



Thanks. Protecting the slate by not laying it is alot easier.

I was most concerned about whether the grout joint is preferred to be
horizontal or vertical. Or should I really use a sanded caulk for this
joint to eliminate cracking from movement? I don't mind patching grout
if it *might* happen, but I don't want to be assured of having to
patch it because it *will* break.


No problem.

Finish the walls first, leaving the travertine off of the floor about an
1/8" or so on the first row. You can lay tile spacers flat and set your
first row on top of that. It's important to adjust and ensure the first
row of wall tile is level. You can use shims, other spacers, or what
works well are cheap tile wedges which are available at tile stores.
They come in handy as you go up the wall for minor adjustments as well.

When you install the floor slate leave a grout joint between the slate
and the wall tile keeping the size uniform woth the other floor joints.
Sanded caulk is really not necessary unless you expect movement of some
kind at that point, so I would just use the sanded grout. YMMV

One other thing, there are thinset products on the market that are made
for heavier tile. keep that in mind and also there are special grouts
made for wider than average joints too.

Sounds like a great choice of materials you've picked for your job. Good
luck Joe!


Thanks for all the advice! We had a heck of a time getting the
travertine....it's called black rustico and has veins of
green-grey-to-black that goes great with the green slate. They kept
sending out material that had no "black rustico" in it. Finally got the
right stuff, tho.

So, if I understand correctly, if we take a cross-section of the
finished product, we should find grout 1/8" up the wall (to the first
row of travertine and then 3/8" and a bit (width of travertine on wall
plus adhesive) + 3/16" (width of the floor grout joints) from the wall
to the edge of the slate? So, a big line of grout along the perimeter at
the base of the walls that's 1/8" high and about 5/8" wide. Is that right?

--
Joe

Joe S wrote:
G Henslee wrote:

Joe S wrote:

G Henslee wrote:

G Henslee wrote:

Joe S wrote:

Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?




Joe S,

Walls first, then floors.





Oh you asked why it's preferred. It's just simpler. The main
reason is you don't have to protect the finished floors from damage
or mess while tiling the walls. Most folks wait until all other
work is done prior to installing finished floors.



Thanks. Protecting the slate by not laying it is alot easier.

I was most concerned about whether the grout joint is preferred to be
horizontal or vertical. Or should I really use a sanded caulk for
this joint to eliminate cracking from movement? I don't mind patching
grout if it *might* happen, but I don't want to be assured of having
to patch it because it *will* break.


No problem.

Finish the walls first, leaving the travertine off of the floor about
an 1/8" or so on the first row. You can lay tile spacers flat and set
your first row on top of that. It's important to adjust and ensure
the first row of wall tile is level. You can use shims, other spacers,
or what works well are cheap tile wedges which are available at tile
stores. They come in handy as you go up the wall for minor adjustments
as well.

When you install the floor slate leave a grout joint between the slate
and the wall tile keeping the size uniform woth the other floor
joints. Sanded caulk is really not necessary unless you expect
movement of some kind at that point, so I would just use the sanded
grout. YMMV

One other thing, there are thinset products on the market that are
made for heavier tile. keep that in mind and also there are special
grouts made for wider than average joints too.

Sounds like a great choice of materials you've picked for your job.
Good luck Joe!



Thanks for all the advice! We had a heck of a time getting the
travertine....it's called black rustico and has veins of
green-grey-to-black that goes great with the green slate. They kept
sending out material that had no "black rustico" in it. Finally got the
right stuff, tho.

So, if I understand correctly, if we take a cross-section of the
finished product, we should find grout 1/8" up the wall (to the first
row of travertine and then 3/8" and a bit (width of travertine on wall
plus adhesive) + 3/16" (width of the floor grout joints) from the wall
to the edge of the slate? So, a big line of grout along the perimeter at
the base of the walls that's 1/8" high and about 5/8" wide. Is that right?



The reason I suggested the 1/8" space under the first wall row is to
allow you some adjustment room for the row if the floor is not level. If
the floor was perfectly level and evenly flat at that point you could
just set the row on the floor. It may be that just a few wedges will
give you the adjustment you may need. It may be that you have to rip
the bottoms of that first row on an angle to make up for an unlevel
floor. Lay a straightedge and a level across the floor at that point
and see what you have.

If you have to adjust that wall row just make sure the bottom of that
first row is low enough to below the plane of the top of the floor
slate, so that that floor goes 'up to' and not under the wall. When you
set the floor install it 3/16" away from the wall tile. Then when you
grout that angle the grout will go into your floor joint and under your
wall tile at the same time. When finished all you see when looking at
that angle is a 3/16" grout joint on the floor between the floor and wall.

G Henslee wrote:
Joe S wrote:
G Henslee wrote:

Joe S wrote:

G Henslee wrote:

G Henslee wrote:

Joe S wrote:

Travertine on the vertical surfaces, slate on the floor.

Should I set the walls first and then fit the floor? Or vice
versa?

What is the preferred method, and why?




Joe S,

Walls first, then floors.





Oh you asked why it's preferred. It's just simpler. The main
reason is you don't have to protect the finished floors from
damage
or mess while tiling the walls. Most folks wait until all other

work is done prior to installing finished floors.



Thanks. Protecting the slate by not laying it is alot easier.

I was most concerned about whether the grout joint is preferred
to be
horizontal or vertical. Or should I really use a sanded caulk for

this joint to eliminate cracking from movement? I don't mind
patching
grout if it *might* happen, but I don't want to be assured of
having
to patch it because it *will* break.


No problem.

Finish the walls first, leaving the travertine off of the floor
about
an 1/8" or so on the first row. You can lay tile spacers flat and
set
your first row on top of that. It's important to adjust and
ensure
the first row of wall tile is level. You can use shims, other
spacers,
or what works well are cheap tile wedges which are available at
tile
stores. They come in handy as you go up the wall for minor
adjustments
as well.

When you install the floor slate leave a grout joint between the
slate
and the wall tile keeping the size uniform woth the other floor
joints. Sanded caulk is really not necessary unless you expect
movement of some kind at that point, so I would just use the
sanded
grout. YMMV

One other thing, there are thinset products on the market that are

made for heavier tile. keep that in mind and also there are
special
grouts made for wider than average joints too.

Sounds like a great choice of materials you've picked for your
job.
Good luck Joe!



Thanks for all the advice! We had a heck of a time getting the
travertine....it's called black rustico and has veins of
green-grey-to-black that goes great with the green slate. They kept

sending out material that had no "black rustico" in it. Finally got
the
right stuff, tho.

So, if I understand correctly, if we take a cross-section of the
finished product, we should find grout 1/8" up the wall (to the
first
row of travertine and then 3/8" and a bit (width of travertine on
wall
plus adhesive) + 3/16" (width of the floor grout joints) from the
wall
to the edge of the slate? So, a big line of grout along the
perimeter at
the base of the walls that's 1/8" high and about 5/8" wide. Is that
right?



The reason I suggested the 1/8" space under the first wall row is to
allow you some adjustment room for the row if the floor is not level.
If
the floor was perfectly level and evenly flat at that point you could

just set the row on the floor. It may be that just a few wedges will
give you the adjustment you may need. It may be that you have to rip

the bottoms of that first row on an angle to make up for an unlevel
floor. Lay a straightedge and a level across the floor at that point

and see what you have.

If you have to adjust that wall row just make sure the bottom of that

first row is low enough to below the plane of the top of the floor
slate, so that that floor goes 'up to' and not under the wall. When
you
set the floor install it 3/16" away from the wall tile. Then when
you
grout that angle the grout will go into your floor joint and under
your
wall tile at the same time. When finished all you see when looking
at
that angle is a 3/16" grout joint on the floor between the floor and
wall.



Got it. Beauty.


Joe